First Night Portsmouth crowds greet the new year

Tuesday

Jan 1, 2013 at 12:41 PMJan 1, 2013 at 12:41 PM

PORTSMOUTH — The only thing First Night may be lacking is a champagne toast as the clock strikes 2013, but who said you need alcohol to have fun?

Between every style of music imaginable playing in historic venues throughout the city, along with performances by jugglers, puppeteers and improv comedians, the New Year’s Eve celebration in Port City, provided by Pro Portsmouth, has events for every age, every family and every one.

“It has been a good night,” Barbara Massar, Executive Director of Pro Portsmouth, said. “There was a good crowd at the fireworks, which is kind of a good gage for how things are going.”

Many teens crowded in Market Square early in the night to dance in the street, which was closed off to traffic. They flashed their glow sticks, tiaras and other New Year’s Eve accessories, hoping to ring in 2013 having fun.

The light-up gear was provided by private businesses, one owned by Zachary Bryson of Hibbert Enterprise.

“This is my second year in Portsmouth,” he said, shivering from the cold air on a street corner across from Breaking New Grounds. Bryson planned to be out selling his goods for most of the night so he was dressed properly for the temperatures nearing the teens. “I like it here, but, I also go down south with my stuff, too. I do Fourth of July celebrations, Mardi Gras and fiestas in San Antonio.”

It was nearly impossible to miss those sporting the bright lights. Many little ones wore glowing necklaces at the Abracadabra show, produced by Phil Smith, at the Connie Bean at Portsmouth Middle School.

Smith wowed the crowd by making balls disappear and even brought audience members up to try some tricks. He teased some of the participators, such as young Logan, joking that he “visits his airport all of the time.”

Smith ended his performance by making his rabbit, Snow White, appear from a balloon animal in a cage. Just a short walk away from the school, Acheson Gown, a music group consisting of singer and songwriter Elissa Margolin and guitarist Tom Acheson Brown, belted tunes at the Middle Street Baptist Church. Margolin said the band plays both cover songs and original music.

TJ Wheeler and ‘Company’ played blues and jazz at North Church, while a Beatles band brought people back to the 1960s with songs such as their infamous “We all live in a yellow submarine.”

Costumes, props and juggling items such as cigar boxes were among the many silly entertainment acts put on by Mike Miclon at Seacoast Repertory Theater later in the evening. Miclon, who has been performing since the age of 14, said events like First Night are his favorite because he can make both children and parents smile and enjoy their night.

Roderick Russell, described as a sword swallower and mind reader, also performed at the Rep, showing fans his talent that has been featured on the Discovery Channel, the Travel Channel, CNN, NPR and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.

Russell’s show was standing room only, as most of the event goers were most interested in seeing one of the just 50 sword swallowers in world.“I won’t beat around the bush, I’ll just get straight to the point,” he punned, before sliding the two foot long sword down his throat.

The three-time Guinness Book of World Records holder also showed the crowd how well he can read people, by guessing the cards they were thinking of, the people that mean most to them in their life and which kid drew which drawing on stage.

As the clock moved closer to midnight, people started to exit the venues and make their way to Market Square, boogieing down on the side street made into a dance floor near the large ice sculpture at the center of all the fun.

“You get to a point in the night, around eight or nine o’clock, and the event just kind of is, it just happens,” Massar said. “People have bought their buttons, have found a place to park and have gone to the fireworks, and now they are going to figure out where they are going to go and they are just doing their own thing.”

Crowds formed outside the North Church for the midnight countdown, excited to say goodbye to 2012 and to greet 2013.

Between all the dancers, party people and onlookers, was a group decked out in rhinestone decorated clothing, sparkling glasses and even glitter toed shoes, preparing to count from 10 to 1 and wish everyone a happy New Year.

“It’s been a good year, but I have about 15 New Year’s resolutions,” Leah Neff, of South Berwick, Maine, said. “Tonight has been fun, though. I came to Portsmouth to be with friends and have a good night, and that is exactly what I have been given.”

When the countdown was over and 2013 arrived, Portsmouth completed the night with a round of fireworks, lighting the sky as couples and friends danced in the square to Etta James' "At Last."